David's Story.
EARLY LIFE
David Booth was baptised at St Michael's Church, Macclesfield on 2 February 1887, the son of Charlotte (née Hadfield) and John Booth of Macclesfield, a manager. In 1891, the family lived at 100 James Street, Macclesfield. By 1901, David's father had died and fourteen-year-old David was living at 47 Higginbotham Street (now named South Park Road) with his mother and younger brother Harry (8). David had left school and was employed as an errand boy for a brush manufacturer.
In 1906 David joined the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants Trade Union after finding employment as a parcel porter for the London and North Western Railway at Macclesfield, but by 1911 he had changed his job and was working as a grain dryer.
David married Martha Jane Hulse at St John's Church, Macclesfield, on 31 July 1915. On his marriage certificate David stated that he was employed as an engineer.
Martha later lived with her parents at 1 Townley Street, Macclesfield.
WW1 SERVICE
David Booth enlisted in Manchester in May 1916, joining the Lancashire Fusiliers. After training, he was drafted out to France, but was invalided back to England in February 1917, suffering from frost-bite. After treatment he returned to France in July 1917.
Private Booth was killed in action on 1 December 1917, and his death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 4 January 1918:
A FUSILIER KILLED - SECOND SPELL OF SERVICE
Official notification has been received of the death in action in France of Pte David Booth, a well-known Macclesfield man. He enlisted in the Lancashire Fusiliers in May 1916 and went out to France for the second time in July, 1917, after having been invalided home with an attack of frostbite...
Further information was printed the following week:
A GOOD SOLDIER - SHRAPNEL IN THE JAW AND NECK
As briefly announced last week, official news has been received by Mrs Booth, 1 Townley St, Macclesfield, that her husband, Pte David Booth, Lancs Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on December 1st. Pte Booth was thirty years of age and a native of the town, his mother living in Higginbotham St. He was educated at Mill Street School and on leaving was employed in the goods department of the London and North Western Railway. Later he went to work at Old Trafford, from where he enlisted in the Lancashire Fusiliers in May, 1916. He was drafted out to France, but was invalided back to England in February 1917, suffering from frost-bite. After treatment he recovered and returned to France in July 1917. Private Booth was formerly connected with St John's Sunday School and Church.
Second-Lieut. Heywood, writing to the widow, says: "Your husband was killed in the early morning if December 1st. At about half-past six the Bosche opened up a terrible bombardment on the portion of the line held by No 5 platoon, which lasted for an hour. It was during this that your husband was hit by a piece of shell. He was hit in the jaw and on the neck. We bandaged him up and rushed him on a stretcher to the dressing station, but he passed away before we could get him there. Your husband was in my platoon, and we were a very happy lot, going through a lot of hardships together, and I can assure you that the death of your husband is a personal loss to me... he was one of the best lads amongst us...
A brother, Pte H Booth, is serving with the ASC in France.
COMMEMORATION
Private David Booth is buried in Grave Ref. VI. B. 22. of the Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery, France. His wife asked for the inscription “TOO DEARLY LOVED TO BE FORGOTTEN” to be added to his headstone.
In Macclesfield, David Booth is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael's Church and St John's Church war memorials.
Martha Booth regularly inserted In Memoriam notices into the local newspapers at the beginning of December, such as this one, published in the Macclesfield Times on 7 December 1934:
BOOTH - In fondest remembrance of my dear husband, David Booth, who was killed in France, December 1st 1917.
From his wife, mother, and all at 1 Townley Street, Macclesfield.
NOTES
Brother of Harry Booth, who served with the ASC in France.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages
Census (England & Wales): 1891,1901, 1911
Cheshire Parish Registers, Baptisms (Find My Past)
Cheshire Parich Registers, Marriages (Ancestry)
Trade Union Membership Registers (Find My Past)
Soldiers Died In The Great War 1914-1919 (Find My Past)
Lives of the First World War website
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 4 and 11 January 1918, 23 Sept 1921 (photo supplement), 7 December 1934
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.